


memories of truth and magic

by endlessgold



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga), Umineko no Naku Koro ni | When the Seagulls Cry
Genre: Crossover, Eventual Happy Ending, Gen, Gender Dysphoria, Implied/Referenced Incest, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Injury
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:28:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26041948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/endlessgold/pseuds/endlessgold
Summary: Yasu is a lonely child from the Wammy’s House. With no remarkable intellectual ability or special talents, she begins to wonder the reason behind her residence in the orphanage. Basically a self indulgent fic to give Yasu somewhat better role models.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	1. lonely and magical days

I was raised in an orphanage for especially gifted children. 

There's no doubt that every person living in that house is extraordinary in some way. Everyone preforms exceptionally well on tests, and most of the children have niche talents that they are improving. Whether it be deductive ability, art, or something in the mathematics field ... Every single child in this orphanage is gifted in some way. 

Except for me. 

I suppose in some ways I could be considered ‘gifted’, since I was allowed to be raised in this place despite not having any notable talents. 

Out of everybody, my test scores were the lowest. I kept the grade point average of the group down because of my incompetence, and I was bullied a lot because of it. 

“Yasu is an idiot.”

“Yasu is hopeless, does she even bother studying?”

“I don't understand how a weird girl like Yasu is allowed in Wammy’s House.”

  
Clearly, they had no intention of being my friend. And I had no intention of talking to them either. 

I wondered the same thing as them. 

Why am I, someone with average— no— below average abilities, permitted to stay here? 

Even though I should be grateful for this opportunity, as it may lead to good job prospects in the future regardless of my scores, every moment spent in that house felt like agony. 

Because I had poor test scores, I was isolated. I didn't belong. Back then, I would have given anything just to have a normal family and a normal life. 

“Roger?”

“Yasu.”

  
As I grew older, I yearned for answers. So, I turned to Roger— the head of the orphanage. 

“Why am I here?” 

Roger was the only person in the house I could ever really talk to without being teased, so he had started to get used to my strange questions. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, annoyed that I was bothering him. 

“I could ask you the same question.”

“That’s not what I mean... Why am I here? I'm not gifted or special at all.”

“You are. Just like everyone else is here, you're a gifted child.”

“Why? I'm not smart like everyone else. You've seen my grades.”

I saw Roger's eyebrows furrow underneath his classes. Although I was approaching my teenage years, I was still young. It was probably a difficult thing to explain. 

“You know, you're the only child in this orphanage who has lived here since they were a baby.”

That excited me. I knew that I had lived at Wammy’s since I was a baby, but I had no idea I was the only one. I assumed naturally that there were others the same as me— but, in that sense, I was special. The only one to get Wammy’s education from birth, like fate had chosen me. 

I would have been satisfied with that answer alone. But, Roger continued. 

“And... It's your blood.”

“My blood? Why is that special?”

“Your blood comes from an extraordinary family, completely pure. ... That's all I can say.”

“But— what family? You know who my parents are, don't you? Can't I speak with them?”

“Maybe when you're older.”

“But—”

“That’s enough. I'm busy, go play with the other children.”

Continuing to argue with Roger would be useless, so I made my way to my room. I didn't bother trying to argue any further... I'd just have to wait out those years until I grew up enough to learn about my family. 

I didn't bother trying to talk to anyone else, I just returned to my room with a sullen expression. That part was normal for me, since I doubted anyone would want to spend time with the terrible outsider. 

So, I would read. Day in and day out, I sat down in my bed and read whatever I could get my hands on. 

“..... Christie again?”

Suddenly, a voice called out to me. It wasn't the stern voice of Roger or the mocking voices of my peers— and that alone filled me with joy. I perked up and greeted that person with a smile. 

“Mm! I haven't read this one yet, though. I wonder who the culprit is...”

That person was one of my few friends— The White Witch. She was a beautiful young woman with green hair and an elegant white dress, one of the first friends that I created in my loneliness. If I couldn't be happy in the world I lived in, I would make a new one with magic.... The White Witch was the first member of that world. 

She grinned at me and peered at the cover of my book, letting out a short laugh. 

“ _And Then There Were None,_ hm? The culprit of that one is a bit tricky. I especially like how....”

“Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh.....!! Stop it! I haven't finished reading it yet....!!”

I covered my ears before The White Witch could spoil the mystery I was putting in my best effort to solve— she was over eager and always trying to give me hints, even though I always told her I wanted to do it myself. Even so, she always tried telling me how to solve it and even cackled at me when I got flustered. 

“Sorry, sorry...! But make sure you tell me your theories, okay? Watching humans try to solve puzzles is one of the few joys of a witch.”

“Is that true?”

“.... Certainly. That's why we decided to befriend a child from this place, you know?”

Another voice rang out from above. When I looked up at the ceiling, I saw that a hole had opened up and a girl was elegantly floating down from it. Just as she reached the ground, the hole closed up— as if nothing had happened. 

“Yasu is the most interesting kid, though. I tried watching one of the others— he was just silently solving a puzzle. It's no fun if you can't talk to someone while they're thinking.”

The Red Witch had decided to make an appearance. She had blond hair in curly spirals and a dress stained red like blood. Just like The White Witch, she was very elegant— albeit slightly more fickle. Another resident of my world. 

“Well, I just started this one... If you want to hear my thoughts, you'll have to wait a bit.”

I closed the book slowly. If the two witches were visiting, I wanted to give them my full attention. One thing the Red and White Witch had in common was that they were both impatient— they definitely didn't want to wait around for me to come up with a theory. So, the two looked at each other in silent contemplation. 

“Yasu!” The White Witch suddenly grabbed my hands with a grin on her face. “I’ve got an idea for a game!”

“Hm...? What is it?”

“Let’s solve the mystery of your birth together!”

The Red Witch got on board with the idea immediately, and nodded along with her. 

“Hoh...? What a splendid idea for a game. It should keep me entertained for a while.”

“It’s for Yasu’s sake too! You've been troubled by that mystery for a long time, haven't you? Let's solve it together!”

The two looked at me with anticipation— pressuring me to take part in their game. Hesitantly, I slid away from The White Witch and stared at the ground. 

“That’s impossible.... I don't have the first clue about where I'm from. Even though I want to solve it with you two, I can't. Sorry.”

The two turned to each other again, resuming their thinking that I wasn't allowed to be part of. Then, The Red Witch turned to me and bonked me on the head with her closed fist. 

“So, what? You're just going to give up? Are you really just a boring human after all?”

“It’s not that...! I want to, but it's impossible...”

“Impossible? Are you really saying the word ‘impossible’ in front of two witches?”

I rubbed the spot where she had hit me, and realized that they were right. For a lone human, finding out the truth of my birth would be impossible. But I had the minds of two witches on my side— they could definitely lead me to the truth. 

“You’ll help me...?”

The White Witch patted my head and laughed. 

“Of course! This is a game for the three of us, right? Let's solve this mystery together, okay?” 

“Okay... Er... Where should we start?”

The Red Witch tapped her chin with her finger. They were really thinking just as hard as me. 

“That ‘special blood’ of yours .... I wonder.”

“Roger did mention that I came from an important family. Do you two have any idea who?”

The two only shrugged at me. I should have been able to expect that much. Among the billions of people in the world, one of them gave birth to me. Finding that person in the sea of humans across the world would be impossible. 

The White Witch understood the ways of humans, and quickly came up with an idea. 

“There is a way, though... All we have to do is increase the chances of a miracle.”

A ... Miracle? I had read stories about miracles, but I had never seen anything so extraordinary that it could be justified as a miracle. It must be another feat only witches can produce. 

“Do you understand how miracles work in the world of magic, Yasu?”

I shook my head, prompting her explanation. 

“If the probability of something happening is above 0, a miracle may occur and make the possibility a reality. It is possible to force a miracle into existence, but it's a very powerful form of magic .... Say, for example, there's two boxes— one has a cookie in it, and the other is empty. At that moment, the odds of getting the cookie is 50%.”

“... But when you open the box, you know which one has the cookie inside of it, right?”

“Correct! The moment one of the boxes is opened, it doesn't matter if it's the ‘winning’ or ‘losing’ box, the probability that you will obtain a cookie raises to 100%.”

It would be impossible for me to find the person who gave birth to me just by looking at all the people in the world lined up. But, if I was to carefully eliminate all the people who definitely wasn't the person who gave birth to me, the odds of me finding my mother would go up. 

“... It can be simplified even further, you know.” As if reading my thoughts, The Red Witch spoke up. “We know that you came from an important family. If we were to judge every important family in the world, the list would narrow down much more.”

“Just like that... The probability of finding my family would go up?” 

The White Witch smiled and nodded at me. But, I couldn't be satisfied with that alone. 

“I don't know any important families, though... What should I do ...?”

There wasn't much I could do to research what families are important in the modern age, either. I doubted that the other two were that knowledgeable in human affairs. 

Suddenly, The White Witch cackled and patted me again– she was getting more patronizing by the second. 

“Of course you wouldn't know! You've been sheltered in this orphanage since you were a baby! Someone who hasn't lived here their whole life may have some ideas, right?”

That made sense. However, she was so suggesting that I talk to my peers— every single one of them hated me. I'm sure that if I admitted that I was sneaking around to find my family, they'd rat me out. 

“Hm... Why don't you ask one of those children... The top three in the orphanage. I'm certain that those three don't hate you at all. They're too busy to care about things like class averages, you know?”

“I suppose so, but...”

The Red Witch’s sharp fingernail poked my cheek before I could continue. 

“Are you going to give up just because you have to talk to somebody? Don't be so cowardly! Especially when it comes to something as important as your family!”

The White Witch nodded and grabbed my hands, holding them gently. 

“Don’t worry, Yasu. Our presence will be concealed, but we'll be right there with you.”

I was being cowardly... There was no way I'd let my own timidness prevent me from finding out the truth of my birth. 

“You’re right. I'll talk to one of them tomorrow.”

“Good! We'll be right there with you, Yasu...!!”


	2. an educated guess

The two witches were lively as usual.   
  
Even as I was just waking up, they urged me again and again to consult one of the other children. I ignored their requests and waited until the afternoon. By then, everyone would have already gone outside to play.   
  
During that time, only a few people stayed inside. Usually because they were saddled with chores for one reason or another. Most kids wanted to run outside in the sun— so the inside of the house was nearly completely empty.   
  
I hardly left the house during the afternoon. The sun is only enjoyable with other people to play with.   
  
And, I knew of one other person who never went outside. We never spoke, but I felt a silent understanding to that person... As another person who doesn't go with the group.   
  
“...... Near.”  
  
Even though I very plainly said his name, he ignored me. His finger tangled through his white hair, and he seemed entranced by a game of dice that he was playing by himself.   
  
I took this as a sign that he didn't want to talk, so I looked over at the two witches— who only I could see. They nodded their heads enthusiastically and silently urged me forward.   
  
I timidly sat down in front of him, although at a distance. I didn't want to get in the way of his game.   
  
We stayed like that for a couple of minutes. For a moment, I even forgot that we were sitting there. I was so entranced by his methodical stacking of the dice that I didn't even try to speak to him again.   
  
“If you have something to say, then say it.”  
  
He was forward, but there was no sense of annoyance in his voice. Rather, it seemed like he was gently coaxing me to continue the conversation. Even so, I stuttered out an apology and carefully reiterated everything that Roger revealed to me the day before.   
  
“....... So, I was wondering if you had any idea who my family might be.”  
  
Near fell silent after that, a finger beginning to twirl through his hair again. I realized that I was probably pushing something unreasonable on him, and apologized again.   
  
“Here, roll these.”  
  
Without even acknowledging my question, he dropped six four-sided die in front of me.   
  
“Why...?”  
  
For the first time, he looked up from his game to meet my eyes. And— he smiled at me.   
  
“Because it's a game. Go on.”  
  
It was impossible for me to roll six dice all at once, so I rolled all six of them individually.   
  
Because I didn't want to make Near wait long, I didn't look at the dice until I was done rolling all of them. When I finished, I finally read all of the numbers...  
  
_... One. One. One. One. One. One._  
  
Every single die.... Had landed on the bright red ‘one’ dot.   
  
Near looked at those numbers with a tired expression— he didn't seem the least bit surprised or impressed by my luck.   
  
“Wow. Yasu is a lucky person.”  
  
I didn't feel lucky, though. It must have been the work of the two witches who brought about that interesting result.   
  
“It’s only ones, though... That's not a very lucky number when it comes to rolling dice, is it?”  
  
“Hm... Perhaps you're lucky because you're unlucky, then.”  
  
“Eh? What does that mean?”  
  
I tilted my head in confusion, but Near ignored me as he stacked the dice again.   
  
“... Anyways. We can at least figure out that you're from Japan.”  
  
He stated that abruptly, and it caused me a deal of conclusion. I knew that Japan was a very distant country. It would have had to have been quite a leap for me to move all the way from Japan to England for just one orphanage.   
  
“How can you be so sure?”  
  
“Everyone here was given an English name. Except for you... ‘Yasu’ is a Japanese name. It's safe to say that's where you're from, right?”  
  
I slowly nodded my head.   
  
The number of people who could have been my birth mother went from several billion to several million. It may not have seemed like much, but even narrowing down the number of people a little bit greatly increased my odds of finding my family.   
  
“And... Among those people, I must be from an important family. So, if we could get a list of all important families in Japan...”  
  
Near interrupted me by carefully pushing the dice stack over with his finger, watching them scatter to the floor with an ambivalent expression.   
  
“It gets smaller. Make it all of the important families in Japan who have experienced a tragedy in the last several years.”  
  
“Tragedy... Why?”  
  
“Because you're an orphan.”  
  
That answer was so simple, I should have been able to figure it out myself. An orphan is someone who, for some reason or another, has lost their family. In order for an orphan to exist, a tragedy must occur.   
  
“Okay... Then ... Two parents who died and left a child. That might be a good place to start. It seems that we're caught in a rut, though.”  
  
Near went silent again, and all I could hear was the sound of dice being stacked together.   
  
“........ The Furudes.”  
  
“Furude...?”  
  
“Yes. They're an important family in the small village of Hinamizawa. A couple died there quite a while back, and left a child behind. At least, that's what I remember hearing.”  
  
“I see... And because it's a small town, there probably wasn't a place for that child to be sent. Maybe that's why....”  
  
“It’s a long shot, but you should try looking into it.”  
  
With that, he was deciding to end the conversation. He was leaving it up to me to confirm his theory.   
  
I nodded and slowly stood up, ready to leave for the library.   
  
“.... Yasu.”  
  
Before I could leave, Near called out to me.  
  
“If you find out anything, tell me. This is interesting.”   
  
“Um... Of course. I'll do my best.”  
  
He didn't say a word to me after that, and I left for the library.   
  
I often visited the library during the day, since it was only ever used for studying— children only ever came around during the evening. That meant I had a few hours to keep the room all to myself.   
  
It was far too small to be truly called a library, and the children were trusted to check out books themselves and bring them back in a timely fashion. Even so, it was my favorite place in the house.   
  
I sat there in silence for a while, until the two witches came to greet me.   
  
“Hoh...!” The Red Witch appeared first, cackling triumphantly. “You’ve already found a lead, haven't you? What good luck!”   
  
“It’s just a guess, but...”  
  
“Any idea is worth looking in to, isn't it? You should at least try looking up that event!”  
  
“I suppose so, but....”  
  
“You suppose so? Don't you want to learn the truth?”  
  
The Red Witch looked at me with a confused expression, her excitement quickly beginning to fade away because of my hesitance.  
  
“The two he was talking about... Are dead. I was hoping to find living family. If it turns out that he was right, I have no hope of having a family.”  
  
The two looked at me sympathetically, understanding my plight as a human child. The White Witch gently grabbed my shoulders.   
  
“That’s not true, is it? After all... It's still possible for you to have a family. All that it takes is talking in love and bearing a child. That kind of wish is good for a human.”  
  
“Kihihihi! As a witch, I can't really see it!”  
  
Even though I didn't have a guy that I liked, I could see a future like that for me. A world where I'm happy with a family of my own... Then, not a single day would be lonely. That was probably.... The kind of life a person like me would dream of.   
  
“Yes... Even if I don't have parents.... I can at least have that life.”  
  
As always, those two managed to lift my spirits. It wasn't very long until they were using me to the only library computer so I could look up that family.   
  
I was still hesitant, but eventually succumbed to their persistence.   
  
“Searching ‘Furude’ on its own doesn't bring up anything useful....”  
  
“He said it was a small town, right?” The Red Witch said, grabbing the back of my chair. “Try searching ‘Hinamizawa’!”  
  
I diligently followed her orders. ‘Hinamizawa’ yielded much more results.  
  
“Hmm...” The White Witch whined from behind me. “.... It's all just tourism information.”  
  
Even so, I didn't stop looking. I was 12 years old, so I would have to scroll back roughly 12 years worth of information to find what I wanted.   
  
It took a long time, but I carefully read through every headline I saw. It seemed that disappearances and sudden deaths were quite common in Hinamizawa, despite it being such a small town.   
  
“There it is.......!”  
  
The White Witch pointed it out to me— the deaths of a married couple with the surname Furude. I read further, and learned that they had died 12 years ago due to sudden illness and suicide.   
  
.... And, they had left behind a daughter.   
  
“That daughter is....”  
  
The news article didn't say her name, but I was able to find out who the daughter they left behind was by searching their names in an online obituary.   
  
.......... Rika Furude.   
  
“Do you think that could be you?”  
  
“No....”  
  
I searched the name of Rika Furude, and found information of a young girl my age. She must have been a popular person, because there were many pictures of her online participating in various community activities.   
  
She looked nothing like me.   
  
“Yasu.... I'm sorry.”  
  
The two witches both hung their heads in pity.   
  
“No, it's okay.... It was just.... A guess. If we try harder.... There's something....”  
  
I tried to show a hopeful smile, but tears burned at the corner of my eyes. My frustration at the difficulty of this mystery dug deep into my heart.   
  
Ah...  
  
... At least I wouldn't have to see the faces of my dead parents for a little while longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! I had some fun with this one! I hope it turned out good!!! I want to include lots of interaction with the boys, so I hope this is a good introduction for that.


End file.
